The Browns were already going to be plenty motivated to beat the AFC North-rival Bengals in Week 1. But Ja'Marr Chase gave them a little extra motivation.
Cincinnati's standout wide receiver said he nearly called the Browns the "Elves" in a media scrum the week before the game, and said that "Cleveland is Cleveland." Browns EDGE Myles Garrett took notice, particularly calling out the "elves" comment.
"See now that was disrespectful," Garrett said, per Cleveland.com. "He didn't have to go there. The elves was probably, he knew better. We might have to have a discussion before or after the game maybe during if I see him. But yeah the elves is a little bit too far."
After the Browns humbled Chase and the Bengals in a 24-3 defeat, Chase was back at it, saying "we just lost to some elves."
"Elves" is a very particular mythical creature for Chase to call the Browns, but there is a clear reason for it. Why did he call the Browns, elves? Here's what you need to know.
Why are the Browns called 'elves'?
Those who watch Browns games in Cleveland will likely see a giant elf as the team's midfield logo. That would be the beloved mascot, Brownie the Elf. And it is likely Brownie that prompted Chase to refer to Cleveland as elves.
There is a long, off-and-on history of Brownie the Elf. Per ESPN, Brownies were elves in British lore that date back at least to 1522, with its first published reference being to a "small, hairy ... creature that lives in houses and farms with people," John T. Kruse, author and blogger British fairy lore, said. Readers of modern British fiction might recognize one notable character based on Brownies. That would be Dobby, the house elf from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series.
In 1929, Atlas Beverage Company in Detroit made a Brownie caramel cream root beer that featured a Brownie elf on it, and an advertisement was put on the side of a wall in Massillon, Ohio. When the Browns were formed in 1946, the first ad promoting ticket sales featured a drawing of an elf, with the text reading, "The Brownies are Coming!"
There is some speculation that Paul Brown, the Browns first coach and the man for whom the team is named, commissioned the local artist who designed Obie, the tiger mascot for Massillon High where Brown was the head coach, to also design the mascot for the newly formed Browns. That elf looked very similar to the one on the advertisement on the Massillon building for caramel cream root beer.
In 1953, Brown wanted Brownie the Elf to be put on the team's helmets, but after seeing the design, decided against it, per ESPN. Still, he remained one of the team's mascot until Art Modell bought the team. In 1961, Modell made it clear the elf would be removed as part of the team.
"My first official act as owner of the Browns will be to get rid of that little f—r," Modell said, per ESPN.
Modell eventually moved the Browns to Baltimore, where it became the Ravens. And when team was brought back in 1999, new owner Al Lerner and president Carmen Policy ushered in the return of Brownie.
Since then, Brownie has been included more and more each year. It was the official training camp logo in 2006 and a sideline mascot of Brownie the Elf appeared in 2015. Kevin Stefanski often dons Brownie on his caps, and starting in 2023, the elf is appearing on the team's walkthrough jerseys and as the logo on the center of the field.
"We won seven championships with the elf" Garrett said. "If we get an eighth championship with that elf, I might come in here with a little elf outfit on."
The Browns don't exactly have a clear mascot, due in large part to its name. The Patriots have a Patriot. The Bengals have a Bengal. The bird teams all have bird mascots. What exactly is a Brown, outside of the old coach, who now might be more connected with the team's in-state rival?
Brownie the Elf's rising popularity has his chances of being the face of the team going continuously up. Chase's comments arguably helped rally the fanbase around the once-divisive elf even more.
